Wavebox = Decreased Tank Life

[jsbzmcdaniel]

A few fellow reefers and I have a wavebox and love it. A fellow reefer came over to see my tank one day and said that he really liked the wavebox and was going to add one to his new 180. The question was raised if the wavebox shortens the life of a AGA 180 because of the wave motion. According to my friend he was told by a well known retailer that he only recommends them for acrylic tanks.

Any truth to this?

 

[rvitko]

Yes, it is on the first pages of the manual- the tank life is reduced 10-15%. According to some acrylic experts here though Acrylic fares no better. The seams are stressed by the wave action. Realistically though very few people keep an aquarium more than 10 years so the problem is unlikely to ever come up and moving an aquarium as well as draining and filling an aquarium repeatedly, likely remove far more life.

 

[Evolley1]

Jeff-

I found this to be true...at least a contributer. I had an older 120 glass tank. Two months into having a wave box I sprung a leak in between the back wall and bottom of the tank. I had to breakdown and replace the tank. Not saying it was soley the wb but certainly a suspect. I have since given the wb up and am now running a single 6100. I could use a controller though...I miss that!

Eric

 

[Rod Buehler]

Eric, Your leak was caused by a worm, not the wave box. All of your seams were still strong, but there was a hole in the back/bottom center seam that went all the way through. I compltely dismantled that tank BTW.

 

[reefkeeperrut]

you guys are kind of scaring me. Is there anything preventative that you could do to a new tank in order to compensate for the wavebox's effects?

 

[Highlander]

10 -15% reduction doesn't worry me.
I still have an active silicon sealed tank after 28 years of use, and it's been torn down and moved half a dozen times at least.

If my 180 falls apart in another twenty five years, my nurse can clean up the mess

 

[reefkeeperrut]

Dave

Do you mean the mess from the fish tank or the mess you make in your pants due to the fish tank falling apart? Just curious.

 

[Highlander]

Dave

Do you mean the mess from the fish tank or the mess you make in your pants due to the fish tank falling apart? Just curious.

By that time, I won't care

 

[Evolley1]

Rod,
No sh*t...a worm? Regardless of the cause I'm glad I replaced the tank on my own terms. The wb will probably be no good on the new tank with dual overflows, so I'll use streams instead.